Apparatus for the manufacture of gas



(No Model.) SGHINNBLLBR. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

APPARATUSFOR THB MANUPAGTURE 0F GAS.

110.417,341. Patented Deo. 17, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J.. SCHINNBLLBR. APPARATUS FOR .THB MANUFAG'JJURB 015' GAS.

No. 417,341. Patented Dee. 1'7, 1.889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JACOB SOHINNELLER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,341, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed December l0, 1888. Serial No. 293,106. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JACOB SCH'TNNELLER, resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the apparatus for the manufacture of gas, its object being to provide a simple form of gas-making apparatus for the manufacture of what is'known as oil-gas, or a gas generated from light hydrocarbons, steam, and air, its special object being to provide an apparatus in which the gas-making operation can be carried on in a manner practically continuous, and the heat from the fuel employed in heating the apparatus for gas-making and the gases generated can be utilized for the generation of steam and the heating of the air, while at the saine time special means are provided for superheating the steam employed in generating the gases.

The special points of invention in my said apparatus will be set forth in the claims.

To enable others skilled in theart to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a face view, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of the valves and condenser apparatus.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The apparatus is formed, generally stated, of two generating-chainbers, and beside them two casings, each containing` a steam-generator and an air -heating chamber, through which fines pass for the passage of the heated products and the gases generated, these several chambers and casings being connected, as hereinafter described. Each generatingchamber a l) is contained in a Casin g c, of wrought metal, lined with fire-brick, ythis casing c resting on a suitable foundation and containing a mass of broken refractory material, such as broken fire-brick or equivalent material. At the upper end of the chamber a is the air-blast pipe d', and at the upper end of the chamber b is the air-blast pipe b',

`these pipes each communicating with the vaporized and ready to enter into union with y t-he oxygen of the steam or air. Beside each chamber c b is the casing f or f', each containing the boiler or steam-generator g and the air-superheater 71, the boilers each having at the base thereof the fire-chambers t' and the chambers a b, communicating with their respective casings f f through the flues i', leading from the bases of said generators to the'fire-chambers t', so that the products of combustion and gases can pass from said generating-chambers through the flues c" to the fire-w' chambers, and during the heating up of the apparatus can mingle with the proolucts of combustion arisingfrom the fuel on the grates i2 and pass with the same upwardly, iirst through the iiues of the steam-generators g, and th ence through the fines of the air-superheating chambers 7L. The two casings f f communicate with each other at their upper ends through lthe pipes 71;', leading tothe butterIiy-valve 7e, 'whichis shown in section in Fig. 4, and is so arranged that by thereversal thereof the products of combustion from onecasing-such as .yi-can pass out through the purge-pipe 7a2 to the chimney, while the gases from the other casing-such as f-can pass downwardly through the condenser and washer Z, and thence through the eduction-pipe Z to the tank. The valvekcan be of any suitable construction,the construction shown being well adapted for the purpose, and it being known as a butterflyvalve, said valve being formed of the valvechamber m, communicating through the openings m with the pipes 7c at the upper ends of the casings ff', through the opening m2 with the washer Z, and through the opening m3 with the purge-outlet 71'?, and having the valve n secured to the shaft n', and which is provided with the handle n2, by which it can be turned to deflect the gases from one side to the other, as above described.

IOO

In order to maintain an air-blast in the apparatus, I provide the fan or rotary blower p, which is operated by the engine r, said blower communicating by the forked pipe p with the bases ofthe air-superheating chambers 7L in the casings f f and the pipes p2, leading from the upper ends of said air-superheating chambers 7L and communicatiu g with the valve d, above referred to, which acts to deflect the blast from both superheaters to the one generating-chamber a or t), as desired. Said valve d is a flap-valve, as shown in Fig. 6, being pivoted at the base of the valve-chamber, as' at d', and the body d'2 of the valve being arranged to fit against the seats d, d", leading to the pipes a or b', respectively, and so cutting off the air partially or entirely from eitherof said generating-chambers.

Steam is carried from the boilers g to the engine through the pipe r', and the exhauststeam, which is preferably utilized in the manufacture of the gas, is carried bythe pipe s to the two generating-chambers, separate branch pipes tleading therefrom, iirst through the fire chambers t', and thence upwardly through the mass of refractory material in the respective generating-chambers, these pipes having openings at their upper ends communicating with the upper portion of their respective chambers, and as they pass through the heated tire-chambers and masses of highlyheated refractory material serving' as superheaters for the incoming steam.

The exhaust-pipe s has a suitable threeway cock, as at S, so as to direct the current .of steam to whichever chamber is desired, and it has also a blow-off pipe s2, which is controlled by a suitable relief-valve s3, so that the exhaust-steam may be permitted to escape when not utilized, and when such steam is being employed in gas-making the pressure in such pipe can be regulated at will and at any given pressure.

In order to maintain an even iiow ol' the.

exhaust-steam from the engine to the generating-chambers and prevent pulsations in the iiow of such steam, and also to separate any watery particles from the steam and prevent their passage into the generatingcham bers, I provide the tank u between the steamengine and the three-way cock s', and, if desired, the relief-valve may be arranged in said tank.

The operation ot my improved gas-generating apparatus is as follows: To generate the st-eam necessary for operating the engine, ordinary coal iires can be lighted within the fire-chambers t' of the casings f f', and as soon as a suicientbod y of steam is generated to operate the fan p oil is fed through the pipes e to the upper ends of both generatorchambers a b, and the air-blast from the fan p passes upwardly through the chambers h, and thence through the pipes p2 to the'valve d and into both said generator-ehambers a ZJ, the oil being vaporized and consumed within the upper parts of said chambers, and the refractory material in said chambers being' thus brought tothe high heat proper. for gasmaking operations. rlhe products of combustion passing from said generator-chambers flow through the iiues t" into the casings ff and assist in generating the steam in the boilers g and heating the air iu the chambers 7L. The apparatus being now in condition for the gas-making operation, the buttery-valve is turned so as to direct the gases from one casing-such as f-into the condenser Z and permit the escape of the products from the other casing to the purge k2, and oil is then admitted in proper quant-ities at the upper end of the chamber ct, the oil being vaporized as it passes upwardly through said pipe e by the heat ot` the' refractory material in said chamber, and a limited quantity of air, sufcient for supporting the initial combustion desired in the upper end of said chamber, being admitted through the nap-valve d. During' the gas-making operation the air can be entirely shut oft' from that generating-chamber by the closing of the flap-valve, or such portion as is found desirable can be admitted thereto, according to the heat of the chamber and the nature or the quality of the gas to be formed. Through the three-way cock s steam is admitted through the pipe t within said generator a, and as it passes through the firechamber 'L' of the casing and upwardly through the highly-heated refractory material in said chamber it is superheated and brought to the proper condition for uniting' with the hydrocarbon vapor and forming` a fiXedgas. In this manner the superheated steam and oil -vapor (with or without air) are thus brought together and intermingled at a high heat in the upper portion ofA this chamber and the steam is decomposed, the oxygen thereof uniting with a portion of the hydrocarbon of the oil, anda rich heating-gas being formed, and as .the gases and vapors pass .downwardly through the highly-heated refractory material any steam or vapors which have not been broken up into gaseous form being so acted upon by the highly-heated refractory material and a iixedand permanent gas being so generated within the apparatus. This gas then iiows through thetlue t" into the tire-chamber of the casing f (the supply of air to said tire-chamber having been cut off and the tire on the grate thereof permitted to die) and passes upwardly through the flues of the steam-generator g and the iiues of the air-superheater 7L, and thence` through the valve 7c into the washer and condenser pipe Z, and in passin'g down through said pipe it is subjected to a spray of wat-er, which acts to condense any vapors or other volatile iinpurities of the gas, the same being collected in the lower part of said condenser-pipe, and the gas then iiows through the eduction-pipe Z to the tank. Meanwhile the air-blast has been continued from the rotary blower p through the air-superheaters h, and thence through the pipes p2, valve d, and pipe b to the generator Z), and by the admission of the IOO IIO

proper quantity of oil thereto the generator b has been held at the proper heat for gasmaking, and therefore as soon as the highlyheated refractory material in the generator a is so reduced in temperature that it will not act to form the gases the valve k is reversed, the steam admitted to the ehamberb through the pipe t therein, and the proper quantity of oil for gas-making is fed to said chamber through the pipe e, communicating therewith, and the gases made in the generator b follow the same course through the steam-generator g and air-superheater h of the casing f, and thence to the condenser-pipe Z and to the tank. During this operation the generator a is again raised to the proper heat by the admission of the proper portions of oil and air thereto, as above described, and as soon as the refractory material in the chamber b is cooled down the gas-making operation is resumed in the chamber a, the gas-making operation being thus practically continuous.

The apparatus is simple in construction and operation; can be operated continuously, and so produce a large amount of gas; provides means for superheating the steam, and utilizes a large portion of the heat-units from the Waste products and gases formed in generating the steam (reducing the cost of gasmaking in this particular) and in heating the air, and thereby provides for the cooling of said gases. The waste heat in blowing up the gen erating-chambers and the heated gases formed both impart their heat to raise the steam and heat the air, and thus a cont-inuous generation of steam and heating of the air are also obtained. Means are` also provided for utilizing the waste or exhaust steam in gas-making and of separating the watery particles therefrom.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Lett-ers Patent, is-m l. A gas-making apparatus having a casing containing a generating-chamber, said chamber being filled with refractory material and having an eduction-port at the base, and having an linduction pipe or pipes to supply iiuids to said chamber extending upwardly through said mass of refractory material and opening above the same, substantially as and for lthe purposes set forth.

L. A gas-making apparatus having a casing containing a generating-chamber provided with air, oil, and steam entrances at the upper end and filled with refractory material, and having a iiue at the base thereof communicatin g with a casing having therein a steamgenerator and air-superheater, each provided with ilues for the passage of the gases and products of combustion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. l

3. In gas-making apparatus, the combination of tWo casings containing generatingchambers lled with refractory material and having air, oil, and steam passages at the upper ends and exit-lines at the bases thereof, and two air-superheating casings communieating with said exit-fines, through which the gas and products of combustion pass, and airpipes leading from the superheating-chamber of said casings to the upper ends of said generating-chambers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

at. In gas-making apparatus, the combination of two casings havingtherein steam-generators and air-superheating chambers, and a gas-condenser between said casings, and a reversing-valve communicatingwith the upper ends of said casings and said condenser, substantiallyv as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a gas-generating apparatus, of a steam engine or pump, a tank receiving the exhaust-steam therefrom, and pipes leading from said tank to and communicating with the generating apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In apparatus for generating gas, the combin ation, with two gas-generators and two casings having air-heating chambers therein, of a delivery-pipe leading from each air-heating chamber, said pipes being connected together, and having valve-controlled pipes leading to the generators, whereby the heated air from both air-heating chambers can be discharged into either generator, or both generators, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

.In testimony whereof I, the said JACOB SCHINNELLER, have hereunto set my hand.

JACOB SCI-IINNELLIER. Witnesses:

J. N. COOKE, Roer. D. TorrEN. 

